rendezvous
by darcy-chan
Summary: Soujiro is back in Kyoto... he meets a certain ninja girl who helps him get through his troubles and vice-versa... *i suck at spelling so please feel free to correct me if u spot something wrong* R&R please.


  
RENDEZVOUS  
  
DISCLAIMER: All characters in this fic are property of Nabuhiro Watsuki and not mine... I am not, in any way, making money out of this fic... so don't sue me...  
  
  
ive finally started my very first fic ever! ^___^ i really do hope you guys like it. btw, the fic is about soujiro and misao.. but it doesn't necesarilly mean that i'm pairing them off. the original plan is to set them up as friends... but if i can't resist the urge, i might bring them together in the end. ehehehe. but that would depend on my mood.   
  
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PRELUDE: MEMORY  
  
'It has been a long five years of travelling... hard to believe I'm back here again where i started. But still, it seems just like yesterday when Himura-san defeated me in my room.' pondered Soujiro (formerly known as Tenken no Soujiro) while walking amongst the ruins of the former base of the Juppon Gattana.   
  
"Shishio-san..."  
  
The smile pasted on Soujiro's face began to falter as memories of the past began to relive itself in his mind. Flashbacks of his painful childhood seemed to haunt him more and more as each day passed. It would creep inside his brain out of nowhere and his once happy mood would begin to fade.   
  
And now here he was, visiting the place he knew so well. As much as he tried to avoid seeing it in such a devastating condition, somehow he knew he had to return one more time. He didn't know the exact reason why he had to, but something inside him was forcing him and telling him to go back once more to his former 'home'.  
  
'I still do not know why I've come here. This was a big mistake. Was there something I needed to know? something I needed to forget? to forgive? ... to remember? This is a mistake. I shouldn't have come... I shouldn't have come... I shouldn't...' The words kept repeating over and over, tiring the man of twenty-three.  
  
After a few seconds of mental torture, Soujiro let out a sigh.   
  
"Yamette. I've begun a new life now. These things shouldn't bother me anymore. I'll find what it is that I need to find. I am no longer the weakling I was before." It was stated so plainly and simply as if nothing went wrong a moment ago. And once again the innocent smile of the young ruroni crept back into its rightful place as he walked calmly away from the annihilated site.  
  
  
CHAPTER 1: Autumn  
  
It was the autumn season and Kyoto looked blissfully beautiful in autumn. The red dying leaves fell from its branches and danced with the wind. It was as if the leaves belonged to the wind instead of the limbs of the trees. So Soujiro thought as he joyfully watched the little dance.  
  
It had always been this way with Soujiro in his years of travel. There were a lot of mood swings and bouts of temper as he moved from place to place, but everytime, he would find solace and comfort in nature. Every morning, at daybreak, he would get up early just to watch the sunrise. At afternoons, he would walk along riverbanks trying to catch fish with his quick hands. Or sometimes, he would chance upon feilds full of wild flowers and he'd sit on a rock and wait for the sun to set. Nighttime was his favorite time of day. When the stars started to come out, he would lie back on his mat with his arms behind his head and stare at the heavens until he fell asleep.   
  
'It's about time i start making camp.' thought Soujiro when it started to get dark. He had just visited the Juppon Gattana's base in Mt. Hiei and felt strangely worn-out.   
  
As dusk set in, Soujiro leaned against a tree and gazed up into the skies to watch for falling stars. Counting one, two... four! Four falling stars shot up across the black of the evening for a fleeting second.  
  
"Ah! The moon and stars are shining brightly tonight. I cannot sleep on a night as alive and enchanting as this... I wonder if this is a good premonition..."  
  
Then Soujiro recalled what Yumi-san used to say about the moon. The moon was supposed to be a symbolism of the femininity of a woman. Something Yumi-san said she had lost years ago. Even way before she met Shishio-san. This was something Sou-chan didn't quite understand.  
  
"Maa, maa! I stare up at the moon every night! I have to stop before I end up like Kamatari-san! He's even more feminine than Yumi-san!" chuckled Soujiro. He then lay down on the ground to get some rest.  
  
*******  
  
"NANI?!? But he's always, ALWAYS shutting me out! When I start a conversation, I don't even know if he's interested at all at what I'm saying! Its as if I'm talking to a goddam wall! And here you are telling me to be more patient with that man?!"   
  
"Calm down Misao-chan. Omasu was just asking you to stop the silent treatment nonsense and start talking to him again. You shouldn't give up on him, you know." explained Okon, obviously afraid of Misao's temper.  
  
"I am not speaking to him unless he speaks to me first! That is my no. 1 rule starting today! I am sick and tired of feeling helpless..." Misao rambled on as she stomped out of the room leaving Omasu and Okon very much disappointed.  
  
'Aoshi-sama... If only you could see that I've grown up now. I am no longer the little girl you used to take care of... or the one you used to play with either. I am already a full-grown woman for God's sake! Why can't you see that I have changed! You still look at me as a child... as if I was not important to you...' Tears were starting to form in Misao's blue eyes. She was feeling neglected and unloved. She hid her emotions from everyone at the Aoiya, pretending she wasn't hurt by Aoshi's actions.   
  
Almost everything she did was in pretense. She feigned not wanting to speak to Aoshi but in truth she was tired of the silent treatment she vowed to undertake to punish Aoshi. But still she hid behind a smile though she wanted to burst into tears. She longed to speak to him again, though it was only she doing most of the talking. She missed the times they drank tea together (in silence as usual) on warm, relaxing afternoons. But she couldn't go back on her word. What kind of a leader would she be if she didn't keep her promises?  
  
"I am okashira of the Oniwabanshu! This is just a simple task I need to overcome. You can do this Misao... you can do this..." she silently whispered these words, trying to convince herself of what she knew was almost impossible.  
  
It was nightfall and Misao couldn't resist gazing over at the moon. Letting out a small sigh, she headed out towards the lake where she usually spent her afternoons in contemplation.  
  
'Shooting stars! How lovely!'   
  
She kept on walking with a soft smile that lit up her entire face as she watched the stars soar through the heavens.   
  
*******  
  
"Now where has Misao-chan run off to again? It's so cold outside! She might catch a fever for heaven's sake! Where could she be?"   
  
"You know Misao-chan is full of mischief, Okon. And she's been running off lately since she stopped talking to 'you-know-who'." whispered Omasu. "Seems she has a lot on her mind but doesn't want to show it. Remember the last time she left without telling any of us? She'd been gone for weeks and Okina was so worried that he even asked Aoshi to find her! It's a miracle that she always comes home in one piece!"   
  
Aoshi had just passed by the kitchen, unbeknownst to the two, and overheard their conversation. He too had noticed the changes unfolding within Misao. He, of all people, SHOULD notice when something happens to her. After all, he was the one who took care of her and brought her up since she was a child. That was probably why he found it hard to love her the way she wanted to be loved by him. Besides, Misao was ONLY a sister to him... wasn't she? Aoshi couldn't seem to make up his mind about that matter, or rather, tried to evade the nagging question that troubled him to such an extent.  
  
'Gomen nasai, Misao.'  
  
*******  
  
Soujiro was starting to doze off when he spotted a slender figure walking towards him. It was a girl. She looked young and radiant with only the pale light of the moon shining on her face. She seemed to be engrossed by something and all the while she was walking her head was tilted upwards. Soujiro became intrigued with the approaching girl and stared at her with curiosity. An amused smile appeared on his lips when he saw what she was busy looking at.  
  
'The stars are so radiant, they seem to sparkle in her eyes.'   
  
Misao kept on walking, not noticing that a young man was lying in front of her path intently examining her, hidden by the shadows. Her eyes were focused above and way beyond the awnings of the trees. She was clearly preoccupied that the man decided not to disturb her musings and just watch.  
  
As the face before Soujiro became clearer, a sudden flicker of recognition flashed in his eyes that made him start to get up. But before he could stand, the girl tripped and fell over his body. She scrambled to her feet and spun around to find a dizzy Soujiro lying on his back.   
  
Misao's eyes widened as Soujiro sat up, obviously recognizing who the person before her was.   
  
"Tenken no Soujiro!" she gasped, taking out her kunais and preparing to aim them at the young ruroni.  
  
"Daijobou?" Soujiro politely asked the girl he accidentally tripped.  
  
Misao only stared back in reply to Soujiro's question, obviously dumbfounded. She was still clutching her kunais, getting ready to take action if the Tenken would suddenly make a move. Her eyes were suddenly suspicious. The glow from her eyes began to vanish as it darkened.  
  
"Gomen nasai. I didn't mean to trip you. If it makes you feel better I bumped my head on the tree when you fell down." Soujiro's eyes were smiling as he scratched the back of his head.  
  
'How strange... He looks exactly the same. His smile is still as mystifying and frightening. But at the same time, so innocent. I never noticed that when I first saw him. I wonder if he'll attack me? Ha! No one attacks Misao and gets away with it!'  
  
"Don't patronize me! I am the okashiira of the Oniwabanshu and I can take you on anytime! And the only reason you hit your head is because you're a stupid idiot! Baka! Baka! Baka!" Misao was waiting for a fight to start. She was secretly trying to provoke Soujiro. At least it would take her mind off Aoshi-sama. But she couldn't help feeling a little scared. This was not an ordinary opponent. This person almost beat Himura!  
  
"You were the companion of Himura-san on our first fight! That's why I thought you looked familiar! By the way, I wasn't patronizing you. I have no intention to start a fight with a pretty, young lady. If you want someone to fight with then go someplace else because I was just about to sleep when you came. Ja!" Soujiro then leaned back against the tree and waited for Misao to leave him alone.  
  
Misao paused for a second, surprised at what Soujiro had said.  
  
'He called me a a young lady. Not 'little girl' or 'Misao-chan'...well of course he doesn't know my name... But a pretty, young lady...'   
  
The thought of Aoshi-sama had once again strayed into Misao's mind. She no longer had the strength to keep up an argument with the former Juppon Gatanna member. She decided that it was time for her to go back to the Aoiya before trouble started.  
  
"And I have no intention to fight with a funny looking guy whose smile freaks me out anyway. Oyasumi nasai, Tenken--"  
  
"Seta Soujiro. That's what I'm called these days. I am no longer known as Tenken no Soujiro. I am just a simple wanderer now. Oyasumi nasai..."  
  
"Misao. Makimachi Misao."  
  
"Ah! It was a pleasure seeing you again Misao-san. I hope you'd keep your eyes on the road the next time we meet again."  
  
"And YOU should stick to your OWN business SOUjiro-SAN!! And I do hope we DON'T see each other again. Psychopath..." Misao then turned around and started running back to where she came from.   
  
'A wanderer eh? Just like Himura was. Still, that Seta Soujiro gets on my nerves. Who the hell does he think he is anyway? Maa. No use thinking of psychotic people... But he does look good. Why the hell did I tell him he looked funny when he told me I was pretty? Baka no Misao!' Miso finally reached the Aoiya and went in silently so as not to wake up the people inside. She tiptoed sliently to her room and slid the door shut.  
  
'Iie. He's not so bad. I wonder if I'll see him again.' Misao smiled to herself, at the thought of being called pretty. She definitely loved compliments, though she knew part of it was out of Soujiro's politeness. But something about him seemed to perplex her. His smile was quite confusing, she didn't know what to make of it.   
  
'It's like he has no emotions at all...' After a minute or so, Misao fell asleep. The shadows from the trees played on her calm face.  
  
As Soujiro watched Misao take off, he had suddenly realized that it had been the first time he saw a person from his past after he left Kyoto. It was bound to happen after all. But with Misao, he seemed perfectly comfortable. He always thought it would feel strange if he saw Himura-san or one of the members of the Juppon Gattana. He wasn't ready to see them yet. Misao-san was somewhat different though...  
  
*******  
  
The following morning, Misao got up a little earlier than the rest of the Oniwabanshu. She walked towards the bridge to watch the sun rise between the mountains. It was such a beautiful sight that she made it a routine to go everyday. When she got to the bridge, she sat down on the bamboo poles, closed her eyes and breathed in the morning's fresh air.  
  
"Ohayo gozaimasu, Misao-san. It looks like our paths has crossed again." A smiling Seta Soujiro greeted Misao.  
  
"You again!" Misao didn't know if she had to be afraid or cautious of this man standing in front of her but still she decided to return his greeting. "Ohayo gozaimasu."  
  
"Am I disturbing you again?"  
  
"Iie. You just keep showing up when I'm not looking. Why do you keep on showing up wherever I am anyway?" teased Misao.  
  
"Nani? But last night it was you who showed up on me. I just didn't want to disturb you. You seemed to enjoy looking at the stars so much I bet you were thinking of someone..." A playful grin settled on Soujiro's face as Misao's cheeks turned slightly pink.  
  
"Ano... Soujiro-san?"  
  
"Hai?"  
  
"MIND YOUR OWN BUSINESS!!!"  
  
"Hmmm... That sounds like a 'yes' to me. I wonder who the lucky guy is?"  
  
"Well, if you really want to know, it's that damn Aoshi-sama..." Misao paused for a while and continued on. "You know him right? Of course you do! You were part of those who corrupted him. You were part of those who took him away from the Oniwabannshu. You took him away from me. And now..." There was bitterness and contempt in Misao's voice as she remembered the events in the past. Until this day, it did not cease to pain her.  
  
At hearing Aoshi's name, Soujiro suddenly froze. This was a person whom he did not want to encounter at this time and now he was also having doubts as to wanting Misao's company. After all, she would remind him of a part in his life that he had been through.  
  
"Gomen nasai, Misao-san. I know what I did in the past has hurt you deeply. But I AM paying for my mistakes. It's quite hard searching for my truth, you know. You don't need to be afraid of me Misao-san. I do not wish to hurt you. Everything that has happened is all part of the past now." A long silence lingered on the damp of morning. A silence revealing the turmoil long hidden inside the two. "I sense that you don't want company today. I will leave you alone now. Ja ne."   
  
As Soujiro walked away Misao noticed that not once did his smile leave his face. 'It must take so much indifference to do that. But I don't think that it's indifference that makes him act that way. Probably too much suffering...'  
  
"Matte, Soujiro!" Misao ran up to him panting. "Ano... Gomen-nasai. I didn't mean to say those things to you... Demo, I'll make it up to you."  
  
"Daijobou, Misao-san. You don't have to-"  
  
"NO! I insist! Now c'mon. I have the perfect plan to make you feel better. Hayaku! Hayaku!"   
  
"Hai, Misao-san."  
  
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was the fic boring? did the characters seem "out of character"? PLEASE tell me if they are and i'll try to do something about it. comments? SUGGESTIONS? i prefer suggestions flamers? *gulps* they're all welcome but please be gentle... since it is the first fic i've ever written... but i guess i don't really care so do whatever you want to do. either way, i'd really like to hear what you guys have to say... darcy-chan  
  
  



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